


All About Eve

by originella



Category: 7th Heaven
Genre: F/M, Major Original Character(s), Original Character(s), Original Character-centric, Originally Posted Elsewhere, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, POV Original Female Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:35:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23739946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/originella/pseuds/originella
Summary: Eve Matthews has been in love with Simon Camden since they met in college. She also happens to be friends with Rose. How will she be able to choose between her long standing friendship with Rose or the man who could very well be the love of her life?
Relationships: Annie Camden/Eric Camden, Lucy Camden-Kinkirk/Kevin Kinkirk, Mary Camden/Carlos Rivera, Matt Camden/Sarah Glass, Simon Camden/Original Female Character(s)





	1. Underneath It All

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this when I was eighteen or so, so be kind!

I remember meeting Simon Camden in our junior year in college. He was engaged to marry this girl named Rose who was seriously good looking. I knew that I was jealous, but I never said anything, because I was one of Rose’s childhood friends and I would never come between her and what she wanted. I remember slowly drifting apart from her when they announced their engagement, and after she was showing little support for her best friend, Sandy, who was rumored to be pregnant with a high school boy’s kid. I didn’t want to judge, but I was shocked.

That’s how I met more of the Camden family. Sandy became very close to Lucy Camden—or should I say Reverend Kinkirk, as this was her married name as well as her job title—who was the child born before Simon. Lucy was very accepting of me, as I was the one on campus who supported Sandy in her pregnancy. She told me about her husband, Kevin, and their little daughter, Savannah. Sandy had told me that Lucy and Kevin had named their daughter after their honeymoon location—a cabin near the beach, located in Savannah, Georgia.

I would frequently stay the night at Sandy’s because I was getting my Master’s as opposed to my Bachelor’s so as I could have an easier class load. I would go out into the night to the twenty-four hour market near campus, called Food 24, and bring Sandy foods that she would crave. I found the whole arrangement confusing as well as amusing, and was especially amused with her cravings for things like French fries, popcorn, and peanuts. During the weekends, I would have to wake up at three in the morning just to make her large and fluffy pancakes.

I was in my calculus class one afternoon when a counselor called me out. She told me to bring my things and I was rushed to the office, where my father, Daniel, was waiting. Dressed in his usual lawyer’s suit, his expression was grave as opposed to the happy one he usually wore; it would be worn when he either won a case or got a new case. He was holding my backpack and my suitcase, and for a moment I wondered if he was back on his mantra of me quitting school to become a wife and mother.

“Dad, I’m not leaving,” I began, wanting to grab my things from him. How had he gotten the combination code for my locker anyhow? Since I was over eighteen, weren’t there laws against that or something?

“Eve, you have to go,” he said, his voice full of sadness.

It was then that I became worried. My heart skipped a beat at his words. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening, and a lump rose in my throat as my hands began to sweat profusely. “Dad?” I asked. “What’s going on? What happened? Are we broke? Did you lose your job?”

“We’re not broke, sweetheart,” he said calmly. “And no, I didn’t lose my job or anything like that. When we talked to you at Christmas, we told you that the practice is going better than ever and it still is.”

I nodded; for the moment I was reassured. “What is it, then?” I asked, wondering that all of this could be about.

He sighed, his eyes taking on a sadness that I’d never really seen before. “It’s your mother.”

 _My mother_ , my mind registered. My mother was Leah Bolton-Matthews, Bolton being her maiden name, who was a picture-perfect housewife who lived in New York with my father. I’d attended college in California to start fresh, but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen. My mother and father had divorced when I was twelve, only to get back together my sophomore year of high school.

My mother had dated a man who tried to seduce me—sort of like a _Lolita_ story—only I wasn’t into him at all, and thankfully, nothing had happened, if you count him kissing me a few times, and she’d ultimately broken it off and gotten a restraining order when that happened. That’s how they started talking again, which eventually got them back together, when he started stalking us like out of some Hollywood movie. My father put him in jail for five years for his offenses.

“What about her?” I asked nonchalantly.

“Her cancer’s back,” Dad said quietly, almost as if he didn’t want the various secretaries and student assistants to hear.

My mother had brain cancer about a year before my parents got remarried to one another. It had gone away by my high school graduation, but now, it seemed to have returned. I nibbled at my bottom lip, frightened by this. I had done research on it—even done my senior project on it and had decided to become a brain surgeon because of this—but now it was back. I wanted to cry, but didn’t want to embarrass anyone, so I just nodded.

“Okay,” I said softly, hoping that I didn’t come across as cold and unfeeling towards my mother’s condition. I looked up at him, hoping that I wasn’t shaking in fear for her. “What are we going to do?”

“We’re going on a flight to New York. We’ve got to hurry; our flight leaves in an hour or so,” Dad replied, handing over my backpack so as I could put my binders and notepads and other things into it; oddly, my calculus book felt a little heavier than it did before meeting my dad. “First class, of course, and we’ll be there in a few hours, but of course you know this. Your mother will be anxious to see you.”

After I’d put my things into my backpack, we walked outside to my dad’s rented Mercedes. I said nothing until we’d driven off campus to the airport, gotten through security, and were seated on the plane. “Dad?”

“Yes?”

“How long has it been back?” I asked. “The cancer, I mean.”

“Since you graduated,” he said softly.

“But…that’s when you told me it went away!” I cried.

He nodded.

“You lied, didn’t you?” I asked him, my eyes filling with tears. “You didn’t want me to flunk on my exams or screw up with the graduation process when I was valedictorian…”

He nodded again. “Yes.”

I turned away and looked out the window, where it started to rain.

The flight proved to be five and a half hours. I bought a pair of headphones and watched _The Devil Wears Prada_. It wasn’t due to be released until June, but apparently first class got special treatment. As it was only the end of January, it was six months early. Early…

Suddenly my mind snapped to Sandy, who was nine months pregnant and alone. Of all times for… No, I wouldn’t say that. But this was pretty lousy timing all around. Rose would never give up class to give it to Sandy, as she feared that Sandy was going to have Simon’s baby, not Martin Brewer’s. I knew that it was Martin’s baby, but that Sandy wished it was Simon’s because Martin was refusing to stand by her.

I could barely watch the spectacular performances done by Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Stanley Tucci respectively, for fear that Sandy would try to get ahold of me. My phone had been totaled—completely—because Rose had gotten into a fight with me and dropped it from our dorm’s building. That had been the straw that broke the camel’s back, and had sent me to seeking other living arrangements. I managed to find room and a friend in Sandy, whose roommate had bailed on her after discovering the pregnancy.

Since my father had convinced the dean to hook up a phone in our dorm room, he hadn’t seen a need for me to get a cell phone until the end of the school year. Now, I was infuriated by all this. What would Sandy and the Camden’s and the Kinkirk’s think of me now? I just hope they would allow me to explain the emergency situation to them all. Maybe they would classify a death in my family as an emergency.

We touched down in New York just before dinner hour. My hometown was the lovely little island called Manhattan, full of people who really didn’t drive at all, though my family seemed to have money coming out our ears. We were the first people to exit the plane, and we immediately made our way to baggage claim to get my simple black roller suitcase. My father got it off the conveyer belt and went outside with me.

I pulled my sweater closer to me as the chill of the night began to pick up. It was in the fifties, of that I was sure, and would be into the forties before we knew it. I watched as my father hailed a limo and the driver exited the vehicle to assist us with our bags. Dad told me to get into the back seat while he got into the front seat and gave the driver directions to our lovely three floor apartment, just across from Central Park.

The drive, I remembered, was a bit over twenty minutes. However, due to the traffic we would more than likely encounter due to the fact that it was rush hour, it would be closer to half an hour. I sat back in the car and watched the dark clouds in the sky. I’d crossed my arms in an effort to keep warm as Dad was speaking to the driver, and I didn’t want to seem like a spoiled brat who interrupted conversation just to turn the heat up.

We arrived at the apartment in due time and my father paid the driver appropriately and informed him that he would get my bag himself. We exited the car and my dad asked if I still had my key. I told him that I did and was told to go up while my father got my bag. The doorman, Watson, smiled at me and said it was good to see me again. I smiled tightly back at him and made my way inside the sumptuous foyer. I caught the elevator and pressed the button with the number six on it and made my way to our apartment.

My mother’s on-call nurse, Gwen, who was sitting in the front room with her nose in a book, looked up as I came in. Her light brown hair was pulled back and then up into a respectable bun on the top of her head. She had on a white nurses’ uniform, along with the starched cap, apron, and the shoes as well. It took a moment for her to recognize me, and then she rose to her feet and proceeded to hug me.

“How’s Mom?” I asked, feeling as if I was a wooden plank in her arms as I neutrally returned the hug. “Can I go in to see her?”

Gwen pulled back and smiled. “She’s resting now. Your father should have told you that. She has a nap between five-thirty and seven-forty-five every evening before watching T.V. and then going to bed at ten.”

Dad came into the room just as Gwen was telling me something. “Oh,” he said, lowering my suitcase to the ground. “I was sure she’d be awake by now. No matter. Gwen, you can hold down the fort here for another hour and a half or so, can’t you?” he asked.

Gwen nodded. “Yes, Mr. Matthews,” she said with a smile, returning to her book and to the couch.

Dad turned to me and looked at me up and down. “Why don’t you get a shower in and put on something nice?” he asked. “It may relax you. You look a little tense.”

I nodded. A shower did sound good right about now. I kissed him on the cheek and slung my backpack over my shoulder and dragged the roller behind me on my way out. I made my way to the top floor of the apartment where a suite of rooms that belonged to me laid waiting. It had been untouched since I’d returned to school last summer, as I’d spent Christmas migrating between school and the Camden’s. I put my suitcase on the bed and my backpack on my desk and began rummaging through the suitcase.

I pulled out my little pink polka dotted bag of toiletries—razors, shampoo, conditioner, lotion—and made my way to the adjoining bathroom. I flipped on the light and looked around. The pink rug was in its place; there were no stains on the tiled counter or the floor; the bathtub across the room was its same pristine white; the shower had no hair in the drain; the toilet was white and shiny clean; everything was in its proper place.

I shut the door and locked it behind me and set my bag on the counter. I stared at myself in the mirror and sighed. Thankfully I’d remembered to tuck my green makeup kit under my arm as well, for the purple bruise-like marks beneath my eyes seemed darker than ever.

I turned towards the shower and pulled up the silver mechanism which turned it on. Warm water and steam filled the room and I sighed at the familiarity of it all. I turned on the fan which filled the room with that familiar hum and adjusted the temperature to a setting that I liked. I took off my clothes and placed them by the sink on the counter. Then I took out my shampoo, my conditioner, and my razor from my toiletries bag and stepped into the warmth of the shower. As the steam and hot water soon engulfed me, I shut my eyes as my thoughts drifted away.

I wrapped myself up in my dark green bathrobe after toweling off and blow dried my hair as soon as I stepped out of the shower. My hair was long and dark and soon was dry about my shoulders as I took my brush to it. I stepped out of the bathroom and went to my wardrobe, as I’d left my finer clothes at home, since they’d had no place at my school.

I selected a black flare dress that Mom had picked out for me for Christmas two years before. It was a simple cut, but looked just ravishing on the model, so she knew I had to have it, apparently. I slipped on some black pantyhose and black heels and put the dress on last. I put two diamond barrettes on each side of my head and put my black pearls at my throat. I selected a bright red lipstick for that evening, as well as golden brown eye shadow, black eyeliner, pink blush, and traditional black mascara.

I put on my Wallis black faux fur jacket which had been in its garment bag from my last birthday as well as the matching earmuffs; I was very careful not to mess up my hair as I put them on. My elegant black gloves came next; I pulled them on as I turned off the light and came out of my bedroom. I descended the steps and came down into the living room in no time at all.

Dad, freshly showered and shaved and in a different suit, nodded in approval when he saw me. “Perfect,” he said, a tight smile on his face. Though his eyes remained sad, I tried my best to ignore the look on his face, due to the fact that Mom was so sick. “We won’t be long, Gwen,” he tossed over his shoulder as we exited the apartment.

“Where are we going?” I asked as we rode the elevator down.

“The Prime Grill,” he replied.

I knew the Prime Grill well. I’d had every birthday up until I was eighteen there, when I graduated high school. I nodded my approval to my father’s choice of restaurant as we made our way outside. My father hailed a cab and we were soon absorbed in its warmth. The Prime Grill was only about ten minutes from our apartment, and, as we were regulars, I was sure my father had reserved a private room—the Walnut Room, perhaps.

We made it there in four and a half minutes. My father paid the cab driver and opened my door for me. He linked his arm in mine and escorted me into the foyer of the restaurant. He smiled at Paul, the maître d that we knew so well, and nodded at him. Paul took two leather-bound menus with the so familiar gold writing stamped onto them and led us to the grand staircase which led to the two private rooms—they were called the Walnut Room and the Oak Room.

We were taken to the Walnut Room and Paul handed over the menus and we were told the waitress would be with us shortly. Paul closed the door behind us and we turned to our menus. We skipped the Appetizers, Soups, the Flatbreads, and the Slider Bar section and turned to the Salads, Entrees, and Steak menus.

“Do you want a drink?” Dad asked.

I nodded. Since turning twenty-one, (at heart, at least, and since I was never carded, and because of the day I’d had...), I’d treat myself to the little bar near campus called Sweet 21. “Fountain of Youth,” I said, peeking at the menu and nodding in approval. “It’s like a drink I’ve had.”

“I guess I’ll get a Stella,” he said to himself. “I’m going to get the Prime New York steak with the garlic spinach,” he said thoughtfully as he flipped through the pages. “What about you?”

“The Garlic-Herb Crusted Prime Grill Fillet,” I said, almost as if in a trace. It was then that I just realized how hungry I was. I’d skipped lunch, and had eaten breakfast with Sandy at seven that morning. “Roasted artichokes and the creamy Yukon golds sound good with it,” I said with a smile. “We should probably pre-order the dessert so we’re not here forever.”

“Walnut Carrot Cake,” Dad said dreamily.

“No,” I said firmly. “Not for me. The Molten Chocolate Cake with vanilla ice cream sounds good, though.”

We ordered in no time and soon all our food was there, with the exception of the desserts. We ate in silence, simply chewing, swallowing, and drinking to pass the time. I felt full as soon as the last bit of cake and ice cream entered my mouth, but I knew that food could not fill the empty feeling inside me. I knew that we had to get home; I had to see Mom.

Gwen was in tears when we returned home. “I’ve been trying to reach you for over an hour!” she blubbered, her hands flailing about.

“What is it, Gwen? Is it Leah?” Dad asked.

Gwen nodded. “She’s at the hospital. You’ve got to get there, now!” she urged, pushing us out the door and following us.

We got into a cab and made it to the hospital without incident. Dad and Gwen went back to check on Mom while I tried to make calls. I got everyone’s machine and sat down to wait. I felt very silly just sitting there, wondering if anyone would mistake me for a hooker who was waiting for her pimp to get out of the E.R.

A young man with semi-long brown hair walked by, and wore a badge that said “Camden”. I stood up, remembering Simon going on and on about his brother, Matt, who would be graduating from medical school in June. He was a student at Columbia with his wife, Sarah. I was seriously considering going to Columbia myself, and had already been accepted.

“Matt!” I cried, standing up.

He turned and looked at me. “Me?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m Simon and Rose’s friend, Eve. I’m also Sandy’s friend and roommate. I’ve also met Lucy and your parents. Maybe they mentioned me?” I asked.

Matt smiled and nodded. “Yeah, they did,” he said, coming to sit beside me. “I must say I didn’t expect to find you here. It’s nice to meet you.”

I smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

“What are you doing here? Are you all right?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yes. It’s not me, though. It’s my mom.”

“What’s wrong with your mom?” he asked.

I sighed. I figured since he was technically a family friend, I could tell him. “She has brain cancer,” I said softly. “She’s been suffering side effects from her chemo for the past six months and tonight she had a relapse. It’s not helping as well as we would like, I’m afraid.”

“You sound like a doctor,” Matt said.

“Guilty,” I said, giving him a small smile. “I’m planning on going to NYU or Columbia like you, actually.”

“I got accepted into both,” he said. “I didn’t know for days, though, because my sister Ruthie hid the letters from me. She didn’t want me going anywhere, and I was really close to telling my mom about it.”

“I’ve been accepted, too,” I said. “Simon says you want to do something with pregnant women or something. Gynecology, right?”

Matt nodded, smiling proudly. “That’s it. My wife, Sarah, is a doctor—well, almost—too.”

I smiled at him. “I know. Simon told me.”

“What area do you want to study?” Matt asked.

“ _Neurosurgery,” I answered._

_“Because of your mom?” he asked._

_I nodded. “Yes.”_

_Sarah came around the corner then; I recognized her from their wedding picture. She looked from Matt to me, her eyes questioning._

_“Sarah!” Matt cried, waving her over. “Come meet Eve.”_

_“Eve?” she asked._

_“Hi,” I said, standing up. “I’m friends with Simon, Lucy, Rose and Sandy,” I explained. “I go to college with Simon, Rose and Sandy. I’m also Sandy’s roommate, and I spent Christmas at Matt’s house. Well, some of it when I wasn’t cramming,” I said._

_“She wants to be a neurosurgeon and she got accepted into NYU and Columbia,” Matt said._

_“Congratulations!” Sarah cried, smiling. “Do you know which one you’re going to pick yet?”_

_“No,” I said. “But I am spending my spring break touring them. I only wish my parents have been as supportive for the last seven years that you two have been in the last seven seconds.”_

_Sarah smiled. “I know what lack of support is like. My parents are Jewish and they didn’t want Matt and me to get married.”_

_I nodded. “I remember Simon recounted that story. Needless to say, it was entertaining to hear,” I chuckled._

_“Her mom is here,” Matt said softly._

_Sarah was then all business. “What’s happening?”_

_“Side effect from her chemo,” I replied. “She has brain cancer.”_

_Matt and Sarah sighed. “Sorry,” she said._

_I shrugged. “Hey, it happens.”_

_“But only to the best of us,” Sarah said softly._

After a heartfelt weekend, I assured Dad that I could easily get from LaGuardia to the Glen Oak Airport by myself. It would be good to get back to school, I thought. Then I could talk to Sandy about everything. I really needed a friend right now, but I was perplexed to see Simon at the airport. Surprised, I walked across to him, puzzled.

“Simon?” I asked. “What’s up?”

“I heard about your mom.”

I nodded. “Yeah,” I said. “From who?”

“Matt and Sarah,” Simon said. “So what’d you think of them?”

I smiled. “They’re an example of what happens when you get exactly what you want.”

“Rose and I made up.”

“Did you?” I asked.

Simon nodded. “Because of Sandy.”

Immediately, I was on the edge. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“She had him!” Simon cried as we began to walk.

I stopped short. “Him?” I cried, grinning. “It was a boy?”

“Yes, she named him Aaron.”

“That’s such a sweet name,” I said softly.

“She’s been asking for you, so Rose and I came to get you.”

“Where is Rose?” I asked.

“She’s waiting at the car while we get your stuff,” Simon explained.

I nodded, surprised that Rose trusted Simon. We got my suitcase and went outside and to Simon’s car. Rose was behind the wheel, but when she saw us, she darted out of the car.

“Eve!” she cried, throwing her arms around me. “Hi, hi, hi!”

I laughed. “Hi,” I said as Simon put my suitcase into the trunk. Soon we were on our way back to school. I made small talk with them and Rose apologized about my mom. “She’s pulling through nicely,” I explained. When I made it back to the room, I used my key and opened the door. Baby stuff was everywhere, and I could hear Sandy singing softly. Her sweet voice stopped as I came into the back room.

“Eve,” she said.

“Sandy,” I said. My eyes widened at the beautiful baby in her arms. “Is this him?” I asked. “Is this Aaron?”

Sandy nodded proudly. “I’m sorry you couldn’t be there. I heard about your mom, and I’m sorry about that more.”

I smiled. “It’s all right. He’s beautiful,” I complimented.

Sandy grinned. “He is, isn’t he?”

Sandy got an apartment close to the school and I got the dorm room to myself for the time being. The extra space and the quiet really helped, but I was always there for Sandy if she needed me. The next few months had passed by without a hitch, but one night, Rose and I got into a fight.

It was mid-May, and the wedding was in two hours. I was set to be the Maid of Honor, but the fight changed everything. “Why are you doing this to Simon, Rose?!” I demanded.

“I don’t see a problem,” she said coldly.

“Of course not,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Inviting your ex-fiancé to the wedding is perfectly proper. Umberto,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I mean, what kind of name is that?!”

Rose looked away. “He was my first love. Simon understands.”

“Are Deena and Cecilia coming to the wedding, too?!” I demanded.

“No,” she said shortly. “That would be uncomfortable for me.”

“And what about Simon?” I asked. “Did you ask him about his comfort level, or are you just being selfish, as usual?!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

I looked away, blushing. “Nothing.”

“Eve…”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Fine, I love him, okay?! I love Simon. I love Simon Camden.”

Rose gasped. “Eve! How could you?!”

“Don’t pretend that you’re so perfect,” I said. “Umberto kissed you just an hour ago and told you to call the whole thing off.”

Rose looked away. “I won’t do it, you know.”

“Of course you won’t,” I said. “You have to have it all, Rose. You aren’t even in love with Simon.”

“But Simon’s in love with me—”

I shook my head. “I won’t do it. I quit. I’m not going to be your Maid of Honor while you marry someone I love.” I stomped out of the room and drove an hour to Sandy’s apartment. I sat on her couch with her while Aaron was taking his nap and cried and cried and told her everything.

Sandy nodded, and I knew then that she understood. She listened attentively, and I knew then that she would make a wonderful minister, just like her role model, Lucy. I knew that, at one time or another, Sandy had had feelings for Simon. Hey, I mean, the two had been together at least once, so she had to have some sort of romantic inclinations towards him at one time or another. However, Sandy was unbiased, since she was friends with both of us, and didn’t seem to allow her opinions on Simon get in the way of my feelings for him.

I didn’t know what to do, though. Hours passed, and Sandy told me what we needed to do, and I was forever grateful. She went to check on Aaron, who was awake, and got him dressed in an adorable little outfit. She put him in his car seat and carried him downstairs, me at her heels. We got into the car and drove as the sun set, eventually arriving at the Camden’s house, where Simon and Rose were to have to reception, and I felt my heart navigating its way into my throat.

I heard the song _Embraceable You_ being sung in the backyard, and peeked through the fence, seeing Rose and Simon dancing and laughing together. Sandy gave me a smile and we waited.

Umberto cut in good naturedly and Simon stepped back to stand with his family. We heard Matt and Sarah announce that they were having twin boys, as well as Lucy and Kevin. Then I heard Carlos’s voice, informing the Camden’s that he and Mary had gotten back together and that they were having twin girls.

I gasped at the news, and Sandy grinned. She walked passed me and into the yard and went straight up to Simon. He looked pleased to see her, and began asking her if she was fine and if Aaron was fine.

“Simon, we should really talk,” she said.

“About what?” he asked.

“Eve,” she said, almost as if there was no way to doubt it at all. “We need to talk about her. All about Eve,” she said with a slight grin.

I stepped through the gate then, and rushed to them, my heels clicking on the concrete below me, and seeing some of the Camdens turning to stare at me. “Sandy, I’ve got to tell him this,” I said quietly, turning to look at him. “Simon, I know you and Rose got married, but—”

Simon shook his head. “We called it off,” he said softly. “She’s back with Umberto and they’re engaged.”

I sighed. “Simon… _we_ need to talk…”

Simon took my hand as Sandy gave me a knowing smile and walked away. “I know,” he said.

“I…” I began, catching Rose’s eye from where she was in Umberto’s arms and nearly losing my nerve.

Simon took my face in his free hand. “I know.”

“I love you,” I said quietly.

“I love you, too,” Simon whispered.

I smiled. _Anything You Want_ by Roy Orbison played. Simon led me out and began dancing with me, where I quickly caught sight of Rose dancing with Umberto one more time. She smiled and nodded at me.

. . .

Another year had come and gone. Simon and I had only casually dated for a few months before eventually becoming completely serious about eight months before we graduated. He was going to go to Harvard Law School and I was going to Harvard Medical School.

Choosing graduate schools on the East Coast hadn’t been easy, but my family liked Simon a lot, especially since he was going to my father’s alma mater. We’d only told Ruthie about the relationship in full. I told Ruthie to tell Eric and Annie, but for them to attempt to keep it to themselves.

They were all coming up in an R.V., which had been a gift from the Colonel, whom I’d met last Christmas. I was surprised that he liked me as much as he did—not subjecting me to quite as many questions as he had done to his other grandchildren’s partners—but Simon said that it was because I was strong-willed, had a good career picked out, and it was so obvious how much we loved each other.

At graduation, both Simon and I were valedictorian, which was something almost unheard of. Rose had transferred to a school back east in New York to be closer to Umberto. They’d gone to Tahoe last Christmas and eloped, because they’d thought it was classier than Vegas.

Sandy had graduated already, because she needed her Bachelor’s, and was coming with the Camden’s in the R.V. When they were all there, and after we’d given our speeches, we were met with immense applause. I loved how everything had turned out.

But Simon said into the microphone, “Can we have quiet, please?”

The applause stopped.

“Eve,” he said, turning to me. “I know I’m going to Harvard Law next year, and you’re going to Harvard Med, and I don’t want to lose you. So…” Then he was getting down on one knee, and my heart was in my throat as it had been when I’d thought he and Rose had gotten married. “…I don’t want anything to happen to this—to us. I love you with all my heart—more than I’ve ever loved anyone—and I hope you feel the same way. So, Eve Cassandra Matthews, will you marry me?”

I laughed, tears flowing down my cheeks and getting all over my ceremonial robe and awards and other honors. I was surprised he’d even felt the need to ask, especially here in front of all these people, but I found myself to happy to care. “Yes!” I cried. “I mean, of course!”

“Yes?” Simon asked, happily.

“Yes, Simon Camden, I will marry you.”

Simon put the ring on my finger—which was actually way nicer that the one he’d given to Rose—and kissed me in full view of everyone. “To the next Mrs. Camden,” he whispered.

“Dr. Camden to be,” I said softly, as I saw Eric cheering and Annie crying tears of joy from the stands. “With a loving family… It almost makes the loss of my mom bearable…”

Simon smiled. “I had some roses sent to her grave. She’s with us in spirit, and your dad’s up there in the stands with my parents.”

I smiled. “And we’re getting married… Can your dad marry us before we have to go to Massachusetts?”

“You don’t mind going to med school as a married woman?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No. I mean, Matt and Sarah did it. And maybe we can do what they want—open a law practice and maybe I can join their med practice if they ever open one out here.”

Simon smiled. “You’d want to live here in Glen Oak?”

I nodded. “I love Glen Oak. I love your family. I want to raise our family out here with them.”

Simon smiled, taking me into his arms and twirling me around. “Nothing you just said could make me happier. But we’ll have to get married in Cross Roads, and, who knows? Maybe Lucy can marry us.”

“Lucy?” I chuckled. “I’d like that.”

Simon and I embraced again, and it was in that moment that I knew our lives together were only just beginning.


	2. For Better or For Worse

With Simon and I living at the opposite sides of the 90 Freeway, we were bound to run into some heft phone bills due to our separation. To compensate, we were staying in Glen Oak for the summer, after the Camden’s returned to the house. It didn’t come as a shock when Ruthie got into Crawford College with her boyfriend, T-Bone, harkening to the days when Matt himself had gotten his preliminary degree from there before attending med school. With Lucy and Kevin living in Crossroads with Savannah, their house was available, and I agreed to house-sit for them for the summer, on the condition that Simon and I did so separately. I was permitted to entertain the Camden family, in groups, or Simon solo, up until eight o’clock at night, and then Simon had to return to his childhood home.

This was an arrangement I was perfectly at ease with; although I knew full well about Simon’s history with Georgia, Sandy, and Rose, he never put pressure on me, of which I was very happy. Sooner or later, however, I knew that Simon and I would have to have the sex talk, something my mother and father never really had to do with me. I was so committed to my studies over the years, and had a lack of boyfriends until Simon came along, that it just never came up. Given that my father’s younger brother, Andrew, was a minister in New York, I think I got the right idea from my four cousins as well.

We were having dinner at the Camden house in mid-July, about three and a half weeks before Simon and I were due to head to Massachusetts, when Reverend Camden decided to bring up religion. Evidently, Simon had mentioned in passing what my uncle did for a living, and I’m sure after the whole fiasco with Sarah’s father being a rabbi, he wanted some answers. He was able to overlook Kevin being raised Catholic, but maybe he just wanted to be sure about everything before Simon and I said “I do”.

“What church is your uncle a minister of, Eve?” Reverend Camden asked casually as he popped a green bean into his mouth.

I blinked, proceeding to take the back of my fork and make competitive rows in my mashed potatoes. Mrs. Camden’s roast was my favorite thing she made, other than her Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and I didn’t want anything ruining the meal. “That would be Southpine Communal Church,” I reply.

“Southpine? Nice area,” Reverend Camden put in.

“We think so,” I reply, taking a bite of my mashed potatoes.

“When did he go to seminary?” he asks next.

“I think he graduated in the late 1970’s,” I reply. “1978, 1979. Somewhere around there, I assume.”

“Where did he go?”

“Cobell Seminary, like you,” I say, hoping that he’ll like that.

“He is married, isn’t he?” he questioned further, taking another slice of roast under the watchful eye of Mrs. Camden.

I nod, smiling ever so slightly. “Yes, he and his wife Esther got married around three years after he graduated. They grew up together, but Esther went to art school in Chicago and they lost touch. Then Esther moved back to Southpine after she graduated and she and Uncle Andrew got back in touch.”

“Well, isn’t that lovely?” Mrs. Camden asked.

I nod. “It was—or, I assume. I’ve seen pictures of the wedding, and everyone looked really happy. That was just before my father divorced his first wife.”

“Oh, they divorced?” Mrs. Camden said, looking saddened. “That’s so sad; I hate hearing about divorce.”

I shrugged. “She just realized she didn’t want to be married. I still see my brothers now and again.”

“You have brothers, too?” Ruthie asked with a grin. “How many?”

I smile across the table at her; I liked Ruthie very much. “I have two, Theodore and Franklin. They’re twins, actually.”

“Like us!” cried Sam.

“Yeah, just like us,” seconded David.

“Just like you,” I said, grinning at them both. “Except they’re a little older than you, so they can’t get into as much mischief.”

“And what do they do to occupy their time?” asks Eric, chewing his green beans rather thoughtfully.

“Theodore is a playwright on Broadway, actually,” I reply, cutting into a bit of my roast. “He just put on his latest show—maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s called _Sir Isaac_ , about Sir Isaac Newton.”

“Oh, I’ve heard such good things about it!” Mrs. Camden gushed. “Mary and Carlos just saw it and they said it’s the best thing they’ve seen in a long time when it comes to stage productions.”

“How can they go out at all?” Ruthie wanted to know. “I mean, not only do they have Charlie to worry about, but they also have Emma and Grace to worry about...”

Mrs. Camden smiled. “Nannies exist for a reason, Ruthie. And now that Carlos has inherited his father’s business, they can actually afford someone halfway decent for their three kids.”

Ruthie turned back to me, curiosity in her dark eyes. “You meant what you said, right?” she asks me, eagerness in her voice. “That me and T-Bone can come to visit you guys sometime?”

“I...” I begin, looking from Reverend to Mrs. Camden, who look concerned, and know that I have to be diplomatic about all of this. “I said that once Simon and I are married and have a home of our own that can have guests, and once you and T-Bone are eighteen and have an idea of what degrees you may want, and if your parents think it’s all right. Not necessarily in that order, of course, in respect to your parents,” I say quietly, lowering my eyes to my half-eaten dinner and proceed to start eating again.

“Do I get to be in your wedding?” Ruthie asked.

Simon laughs. “I think that’s up to Eve,” he tells Ruthie gently. “I don’t get to make any decisions when it comes to her bridal party.”

I nod at him, looking up again. “That’s right—and I have no say in his groom attendants,” I tell Ruthie. “But, now that we’re on the subject, Ruthie, yes, you will be in my wedding,” I tell her. “You’re going to be a bridesmaid, of course.”

“Can I pick out my own dress?” she asks, and Mrs. Camden laughs.

“Let’s wait a while before we make any decisions like that,” I reply. “All that Simon and I have agreed on at this point is maybe getting married close to Christmas, but we’re going to stay engaged for a while. We may have only known each other for a while, but we got engaged on our one-year anniversary. It’s a good place to start, but we’re only twenty-one, Ruthie. We’ve got time.”

“Yeah, time,” Ruthie says, falling back against her chair. “Wouldn’t it be nice if it were all that simple?”

. . .

“You didn’t mention what your younger brother did,” Simon says after dinner, as we are cleaning up the kitchen for the Camdens. “Franklin?”

I shrug as I put dishes into the dishwasher. “I didn’t?” I ask casually, filling up the trap door wish soap and sealing it. “I thought I did...”

Ruthie had gone upstairs to put Sam and David to bed, while Martin—who had come by later to say a quick hello with Sandy—had taken Baby Aaron and gone across the street to visit his dad. Reverend Camden was working on a sermon in his office at the front of the house, while Mrs. Camden was upstairs with Ruthie and the twins doing a bed and bath time routine. T-Bone, on the other hand, was down the hall in the living room, starting on some homework and waiting for Ruthie to join him in there later.

“You didn’t,” Simon confirms, just as he’s finished scrubbing out the roasting pan and has begun on the pot that Mrs. Camden has made mashed potatoes in. “I mean, is there a reason why? Is he okay?”

“As far as I know,” I said quietly, deliberately not making eye contact with him as I did a final once-over on the dishes before turning it on and shutting the door. I approach Simon then and take the tube of Clorox disinfecting wipes and begin wiping down the various counters of the cooking areas of the kitchen. “It’s not really that important, Simon...”

Simon fishes scrubbing out the potato pot and moves on to the green bean pan, and obviously mulls over my words in his mind. “You can tell me anything, you know, Eve. I mean, we are going to be married...”

I bite my lip and turn to look at him. “I don’t know...”

Simon looks at me, concerned. “Hey, come on, it’s okay,” he says, leaning in and kissing me. “After what we all went through with Mary, believe me, I think we Camdens can handle anything thrown our way...”

I sigh, shoulders slacking. “Well...” I begin, but Mrs. Camden comes downstairs and I hastily move back from Simon, embarrassed, and proceed to continue wiping down the various countertops.

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that, sweetheart,” Mrs. Camden says, lightly scolding, although with a fair amount of touched sandwiched in there. “Just for that, I think you should have more of my chocolate cake.”

I flash her a grin. “That’s one thing that I’ll never say ‘no’ to,” I reply. I finish wiping down the counters before washing my hands and putting the tube of wipes away, beneath the sink. “I love fresh-baked goods...”

“Did your mother bake at all?” she asks, not unkindly.

“Mom,” Simon says, for fear that the mere mention of my mother will end up upsetting me somehow.

“It’s fine,” I said, flashing him a smile and turning back to Mrs. Camden. “Yes, she would bake at least once a week, if not more. In fact, she did win some county fair competitions in baking.”

“Really?” she asked curiously. “What was her specialty? Pie? Cookies?”

“Cake,” I replied, taking a bite of Mrs. Camden’s cake myself. “Wow,” I whispered once I’d swallowed it. “This is amazing. It’s as good as my mother’s, but it’s so different, which I think really matters most.”

“That’s right,” Mrs. Camden replied, motioning for us to sit down at the kitchen island as Simon continued scrubbing the dishes. “Listen, I know Eric can be a bit good cop/bad cop when it comes to interrogation tactics, but you need to know that he doesn’t mean any harm, Eve...”

I smile at Mrs. Camden. “Don’t worry—I know,” I assure her.

“So, what division is Southpine Communal Church?” she asks.

“Protestant,” I reply.

“Have you ever missed a Sunday?” Mrs. Camden joked.

I nod. “A few, over the years. I got the flu twice in elementary school—once in first grade and once in fourth grade, and that got me out of commission for a while, let me tell you,” I said with a smile. “Then I got measles after an outbreak during some volunteer work I did in middle school—I was about thirteen...” I trail off, trying to remember if there was anything else. “My mother’s chemotherapy took over quite a bit of our lives, and so my father and I would trade-off on Wednesday nights, when we went to church then, too, so that he would go one week, and then I’d go with her the next week...”

“Didn’t your brothers help out with this?” asks Mrs. Camden.

I shrugged a bit, chewing on my cake. “Sure, a little—but we didn’t have the same mother, so the whole closeness thing was different. Theodore did, sure, but he was in college at the time and couldn’t get away as much as he would like,” I reply. “I would say Theodore was the nicer of the two...”

“And Franklin?” she wants to know.

I shake my head. “Franklin took his inheritance early and did some traveling—off the grid, so to speak. No cell phones, stuff like that. He liked to backpack in remote forests in South America and Africa.”

“Is he traveling again?” Mrs. Camden asks. “We weren’t introduced to him at your graduation...”

I nod. “Yes, he’s in Africa right now, living with this tribe,” I tell her. “He’s putting all his experiences down in journals and then he’s going to write a book one day, when he’s done traveling.”

“I really commend people for doing that and discovering new things,” Mrs. Camden tells me. “But it can’t be an altogether fulfilling existence, can it? I mean, I’d miss my family too much...”

“Nobody’s asking you to go and live like that, Mom,” Simon joked, and Mrs. Camden waved away his words.

“Very funny,” she said, turning back to me with a smile. “Are you feeling all right, Eve? Would you like a glass of milk?”

“Lactose intolerant, I’m afraid,” I say, smiling at her. “But thank you for asking, that’s very nice of you.”

“Finished, Mom,” Simon says, washing his hands and moving up behind me. “If you don’t mind, my fiancée and I are going to take a walk before I take her over to Lucy and Kevin’s for the night.”

Mrs. Camden smiles. “No, of course I don’t mind. Just let me get your father so he can say good night.” She gets up and leaves the room, peeking over her shoulder at us with a slight smile as she walks over to Reverend Camden’s study.

“She likes you, you know,” Simon tells me, putting his arms around me and holding me close to his chest.

I giggle ever so slightly and turn to look up at him. “Does she?”

“Yes—she considers you an improvement from Rose.”

“Isn’t everything?” I joke.

“Maybe,” Simon allows, running his hands up and down my sides. “If someone were to prove it...”

“Simon!” I cry out, gently slapping his hand and moving away from him. “On our wedding night, yes, but not a moment before.”

“Music to my ears,” says Reverend Camden as he steps into the kitchen, Mrs. Camden just behind them, a smile in her eyes.

“Eric,” she admonishes gently.

“Well, we should say good night,” Simon says, apparently uncomfortable as he helps me to my feet. “Mom, Dad, I’ll probably see you tomorrow, because I don’t know when I’ll be getting in...”

“There’s church tomorrow,” I say before either of them can say anything. “So not after eleven, and probably before that—walking around in the dark isn’t as idyllic and safe as it used to be.”

“I love her, Simon,” Reverend Camden declares.

“So do I,” says Mrs. Camden.

I smile at them, crossing to them and accepting their hugs welcomingly. “Well, I love you both, too,” I reply.

“Crashing Simon’s wedding was the best thing you could’ve ever done,” Reverend Camden tells me.

“Now, Eric,” Mrs. Camden cuts in.

I laugh. “Well, I just couldn’t keep quiet,” I say lightly. “But, I guess one good thing about us getting married is that I’ll have a mother again... Would you mind if I called you ‘Mom’? After the wedding, of course...”

Mrs. Camden smiled, kissing me on the cheek. “Of course not—Kevin does, and even calls Eric ‘Dad’ sometimes.”

“Well, the two of you have been more like parents to me in the last year than my own father has ever been,” I tell them. “I thank you for that.”

Mrs. Camden pulls me to her steadily, and whispers, “Don’t ever change,” before letting me go and Simon and I walk out into the sunset together.

. . .

“Why won’t you tell me about your brother?” Simon demands for the fiftieth time as we make our way up the walk of Lucy and Kevin’s house. “I just want to know what’s so bad about it...”

“Nothing!” I cry out, exasperated, and turn around to face him. “Look, I’ll tell you, okay? I promise. Just not tonight, please?” I ask.

Simon sighs. “Promise we’ll talk about it at some point?” 

I nod. “Of course we’ll talk about it,” I assure him. “It’s just not something I like discussing at all. Not just with you, but the only person who knows about it outside my family is Sandy...”

“But you’re going to tell me?” Simon asks.

I nod at him, leaning in and kissing him. “Of course I’m going to tell you about Franklin—promise, solemnly swear,” I say, crossing my heart. “It’s just something that requires a lot of time to explain everything... And it’s late.”

Simon smiles. “Look, I get it.”

I nod, leaning in and kissing him again. “Good night. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. I’ll walk over myself and meet you in the yard and we’ll head over to the church together.”

“Do you want to drive, or should I?”

“Either,” I say, putting my arms around him and kissing him one last time. “See you in the morning,” I tell him quietly, turning around and unlocking the door of Lucy and Kevin’s house before shutting it behind me.

. . .

The next three and a half weeks passed by in a blur full of summer holiday fun times, sermons, and Lucy and Kevin’s return just a week before Simon and I were due to leave for New York. At two, Savannah was babbling and saying small words and short sentences to anyone and everyone who would listen to her. She took a particular liking to me, unexpectedly, and would give small shouts and reach for me whenever I was around. I was pleased that Lucy nor Kevin seemed to mind this, and were happy for the break it gave them.

Lucy was blooming in her eighth month of pregnancy, and was all too pleased to have her mother fawning over her and making her every little thing she was craving this fall. Lucy was all excited to hear about Simon’s and my upcoming class schedules, which had come in the mail just the week before, and was eager to hear about the professors and what we’d mutually heard about them. It was nice to catch up to her, and it was then that I made the decision to ask her a very important question the night before Simon and I left for New York.

“How are the wedding plans going?” Lucy asked casually, as we were up late having a hot drink the night before my departure.

I smile at that. “Slowly,” I reply. “All things are preliminary at this point. We still have another three years of school, so we’ve got plenty of time.”

“I love that you’re not rushing into anything,” Lucy commended me with a rather large smile. “Rose was so all over the place and... Oh,” she says, quickly covering her mouth and shaking her head. “Probably shouldn’t have said anything. The whole ex-fiancée territory is just uncharted waters and is probably so not an appropriate topic for conversation with the current fiancée...”

I smile and shake my head at her. “Luce, really, it’s cool,” I say, lifting my mug to my lips, the black tea going down my throat, soothing it, as I’d been screaming most of the afternoon while playing with Sam, David, and Savannah. “I knew Rose for a long time—we practically grew up together.”

“When did you meet her exactly?” Lucy asked.

“My mother’s older sister was a single woman and she didn’t think that my father constantly relying on me for assisting with my mother’s care was a good thing,” I replied carefully. “So, my father agreed and I actually moved here for kindergarten and I lived here until I graduated middle school.”

“But my mom said that you hardly missed a Sunday in church,” Lucy said. “She also said that your father’s younger brother was a minister in New York...”

I smiled at that, drawing my knees up to my chest. “Well, that’s true, but the timeline wasn’t altogether true,” I tell her quietly. “Your dad was doing his whole interrogation thing and it kind of threw me off, plus, I’m not used to being questioned like that. Up until I was thirteen, my aunt just gave me the bare minimum interaction, and, well...” I square my shoulders then, not wanting to weasel out of a proper explanation. “It’s just that, I don’t know, this whole big family thing... It’s going to take some getting used-to.”

Lucy nodded, stirring her mug of tea. “Simon mentioned that you had two older brothers—Theodore and Franklin.”

I nod, taking another sip of my tea. “That’s right.”

“I heard a lot of good things about the _Sir Isaac_ show from Mary and Carlos,” she said with a smile. “If it doesn’t come over here eventually, Kevin and I were kind of thinking about taking a second honeymoon to New York.”

“All because of one show?” I asked, impressed.

Lucy shrugged. “Well, when we have the time, we’d like to,” she explained. “I mean, other than the good reviews, we could see Matt and Sarah, and Mary and Carlos, plus you and Simon. You’re all in New York as it is...”

“Well, Simon and I decided to get married here and that we want to raise our family here as well,” I reply.

“Give any thought to who you might want to officiate?” she asked, albeit a little more hopefully than I thought possible.

“Your dad,” I say, and, to her credit, she doesn’t look as crestfallen as I’d initially thought she would be. “Simon did suggest you, but I had other ideas...”

Lucy nods, getting to her feet and moving to put her mug in the dishwasher. “A more traditional ceremony?” she asked, slightly bitingly.

I blinked, shocked at this change of pace. “No, no. It’s not that way, Luce, I promise,” I said in a rush. “It’s because I want you to be my Maid of Honor—it’s just that, I swear.”

“Don’t swear,” Lucy said, her back to me.

I laughed slightly then. “Simon said your dad always told that to you all when you were kids,” I tell her.

“Mm-hmm,” Lucy manages to get out, and it is then that I see she is gripping the kitchen counter, and is breathing heavily.

“Luce?” I ask, getting up and circling around the island, looking at her for the first time. I see that her brow is damp and that her face is red, her cheeks puffed out as if breathing too quickly. “Luce! Are you okay?”

“N-no...” She managed to get out, trembling slightly now. “I don’t know what’s wrong, but something’s wrong...”

“Here, why don’t you sit down?” I ask, taking her gently by the arms and guiding her out of the kitchen and towards the living room.

“Oh, no!” she shouts then.

Lowering my eyes then, I see that she is standing in a puddle of water, which has also soaked her jeans and the tops of her sneakers. I find my mouth is open at the very sight of this—it couldn’t be, could it? “Luce, stay with me,” I say as she sways a little before going down. “Luce!” I shout, managing to catch her before she falls. “Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear...” I say, nearly biting my lower lip off as I consider the predicament ahead of me.

Kevin had taken Savannah to get dinner in the center of town, while Reverend and Mrs. Camden were at a luxury hotel for the night, intending to come back early to see us off the following morning. As for Ruthie, she was out with T-Bone, and Simon was being their reluctant chauffeur for the evening. Sam and David were at a sleepover birthday party, so that left the Camden house empty.

“Why me?” I whispered then, knowing enough about the layout of Glen Oak from living there for so many years of my life to know what to do. I grabbed my keys from the island and shoved them into my pocket before opening the front door and navigating my way through the driveway and across to the Camden house, where my car had been parked. I managed to get Lucy into the passenger seat and myself into my driver side seat and pull out of the driveway.

Lucy moaned from beside me, where I’d just managed to buckle her in as we drove along the street. “Where am I?” she managed to get out. Looking over at me, her eyes took on a look of fear as she sat up a little straighter in her seat. “Eve, what’s going on?!” she demanded, her voice rising. “What’s happening?!”

I sigh inwardly then, not knowing exactly what to say. “Luce, your water broke,” I manage to get out then as we continued towards a main street. “I’m driving you to the hospital, and then I’m going to call your parents while they take you back there to check you out...”

“No!” Lucy screamed, grabbing me by the arm and nearly causing me to swerve off the road. “No, I need you with me...”

“We’ll have to tell them I’m your sister-in-law,” I say as we get closer and closer to the hospital.

“Whatever works,” Lucy says, groaning slightly as a contraction hits her, and she throws her back against my passenger seat in a moment of pain. “No... No, not again,” she whispered.

“Again? What are you talking about?” I ask her.

She sighs, alternating between talking to me and breathing carefully. “When Matt and Sarah had John and James, and when Mary and Carlos had Emma and Grace, I was pregnant with twin boys, too,” she tells me quietly as I make another turn. “I lost the babies over the summer... I was barely showing,” she said softly to me. “I was pretty broken for a while, and then when I got pregnant again, it just felt like a miracle...”

“I guess pregnancies can’t always be planned—after you’re married, of course,” I say, attempting to reassure myself.

“Do you want to have children, Eve?” Lucy asks.

I nod at the road in front of me. “Yes, one day. After I’m married, and have my career, and enough of a nest egg, and a house... So many things to consider when you’re going to have a baby,” I said quietly.

“You and Simon...? You’re not...?”

“Not once,” I reply.

“And you...? You know he’s...?”

“Yes,” I assure her. “We tell each other everything. Which is why it drives him nuts that I won’t... Not until we’re married,” I say softly.

It is when I sense Lucy’s eyes widening beside me that I finally force myself to look at her when we come to a stop before a red light. “You’ve... You’re a virgin, aren’t you, Eve?” she asks me, flat-out.

I feel myself flush all over again as the light turns green. I turn away from her and step on the gas, getting us through the intersection and onward towards Glen Oak Community Hospital, where the bright lights momentarily blind me. I pull up the hill and into the parking lot, heading directly to the Emergency Room parking structure, and punch in for a ticket, paying for the maximum amount of time as Lucy writhes in pain beside me. Thankfully, we are close enough to the main entrance that my shouts for help attract the attention of some orderlies, who come straight outside with a gurney to help us.

“I need to stay with her!” I shout as they move to block me from going back. When I am met with questioning looks, I nearly lose my temper, if it weren’t for Lucy suddenly intervening. 

“She’s my sister-in-law!” she shouts.

The orderlies shrug as I run as fast as I can, heading into the hospital room just after they do, and am told to stay put beside her. I whip out my cell phone, pulling up my past messages from Simon, and order my phone to allow me to write out a new one to him. I write, _911— Lucy is in the process of having the baby at Glen Oak Comm. Hospital—tell everyone, especially Kevin! Room 224; please get here ASAP! Love you!_

I lie back in the chair, watching the sudden flurry of nurses paging doctors to come in here and to help Lucy. When a doctor finally does arrive, he is kind and friendly and checks Lucy, telling her that it is not a false alarm and that she is definitely in labor and will be having the baby that night.

“You’re at about eight centimeters, Lucy, so it hopefully won’t be long now, but unfortunately...”

“What?!” Lucy demands, looking over at me.

I get to my feet and place a hand on her arm. “It’s too late for pain medication—but don’t worry!” I assure her. “You’ll soon be pushing, and I told Simon to get Kevin to come. Don’t worry—it’ll be fine.”

“And you are?” the man asks, looking at me askance.

“Well, I’m...” I say.

“Hank,” Lucy says with a sudden amount of amusement. “This is Eve—she’s Simon’s fiancée.”

“Oh, a thousand pardons,” the doctor says, snapping off one of his gloves and immediately putting out his hand. “Dr. Hank Hastings, wife of Julie, Eric’s younger sister.”

“Oh, of course,” I say. “Evelyn Matthews. Nice to meet you.”

“Evelyn?” Lucy asks, peering up at me.

I smile at her. “Eve is technically a nickname, but I prefer it,” I said with a smile before turning back to Hank. “It’s ‘Eve’ of course, Dr. Hastings.”

“It’s Hank,” he replied, smiling at me. “I actually have quite a history with the Camden clan, and did so before Julie and I even got involved,” he says with a slight chuckle.

“Oh, really?” I ask him.

“Can’t this wait, Hank?” Lucy asks. “Can you go and see if anyone is out there looking for me, please? I just want Kevin...”

“Of course,” Hank says, squeezing Lucy’s hand briefly before leaving the room to see if Kevin was there yet.

“How did Hank meet the family initially?” I ask.

Lucy sighed, reaching out and taking my hand through another contraction. “That’s an interesting story,” she said. “When my mother was pregnant with Matt, Hank was the doctor on call. He was young and on a shift that was too long and he made a bad call, nearly killing Matt—”

“ _Killing_ Matt?!” I demanded, shaking my head. “You have got to be kidding me right now, Kinkirk...”

Lucy laughed. “ _Not_ kidding,” she replied. “Anyhow, he made good when my mother was in labor with Sam and David, and got her to deliver both of them naturally, thank goodness...”

I nodded, looking away and reacting in pain when she squeezed my hand again, this time slightly too hard. “I texted Simon to get here, and he’s usually so reliable at checking his phone when it’s me... I just hope that Ruthie and T-Bone didn’t want to see a movie...”

“I think they wanted to see _Stardust_ ,” Lucy put in.

“Ruthie’s far too intelligent for that one,” I muttered.

“You saw it?” Lucy asked casually.

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, and believe me, one of my regretful purchases of the last several weeks,” I reply with a laugh. “I just can’t fathom seeing Claire Danes in any kind of romantic lead, with a face like that...”

“You don’t think she’s pretty?”

I shake my head. “It’s not about physical attractiveness. It’s the notion that she always looks like she’s asking anyone and everyone she comes across in her life for directions...”

Lucy laughed aloud then, but then let out a pretty well-contained scream as yet another contraction came. “Call button—call button!” she screamed. “I need Hank back in here, now! I can feel the baby coming...”

. . .

Kevin finally arrived with Savannah in tow, who I took to the waiting room to see if anyone else had arrived. I saw Simon, Ruthie, and T-Bone in there and I smiled and promptly went to join them. Simon immediately got up as I approached, kissing me and taking Savannah while I sat down, causing Ruthie and T-Bone to roll their eyes at each other, although they, meanwhile, were hand clasped. I turned at the commotion by the main hospital doors in the next several minutes, only to see Reverend and Mrs. Camden running in and ultimately towards us, questions in both their eyes.

“What room?” Mrs. Camden demanded.

“224,” I replied without hesitation.

She was about to go before she cupped my face in her hand and kissed me on the cheek affectionately. “You’re an angel,” she declared. “Thank you for taking care of my daughter,” she said before running off.

“What happened?” Reverend Camden asked.

I lean back in the hospital chair, soothing Savannah, who was utterly confused with the situation at hand at being separated from not one but both her parents. “We were having a cup of tea and talking and then she started having contractions,” I reply steadily, rubbing her back in an effort to sooth her.

“Just like that?” Ruthie asked.

I nodded. “Just like that,” I reply.

“Well, she was really lucky to have you there with her,” Simon said, leaning in and brushing his lips with mine.

“Good on you, Eve,” T-Bone said, reaching out his hand to fist-bump me, which I returned with enthusiasm.

“We can’t thank you enough, Eve,” Reverend Camden told me.

I smile up at him. “Thank you, Reverend Camden.”

“Eric,” he said with a heartfelt smile. “It’s Eric. Annie and I discussed it and we would love it if you would call us by our first names from now on.”

“So, what do you think the baby’s going to be?” Ruthie asked.

“Girl,” T-Bone said.

“Girl,” Simon said, nodding at T-Bone.

Eric nodded at that. “Could be a girl...”

“What do you think, Simon?” I asked.

He smiled, leaning in and tickling Savannah’s chin. “Girl,” he replied.

I shake my head. “No. No, I think it’s a boy.”

It is when Annie comes out from the hospital room a few minutes later, that we all of us immediately get to our feet. Tears of joy are streaming down her face as she steps forward, approaching Eric and kissing him on the cheek. “Can’t tell you,” she says to everyone’s questions, shaking her head. “But she would like to see all of you immediately. Come on,” she says, and proceeds to walk back to the hospital room at a quick clip. “Come on, everyone.”

We walk down the hallway again, this time at a more relaxed pace, with me still holding onto Savannah. Annie opens the door to Room 224 where we are greeted to the sight of Lucy sitting up in bed, with Kevin standing proudly next to her, gazing down at the little bundle in her arms. As we step closer, I nod at Savannah’s mother and father, and Kevin smiles at me, motioning that he will take Savannah from me. Once the handover is complete, I move back to the foot of the bed, where I remain with Simon’s arm around me.

“Hi, everyone,” Lucy says, her voice slightly hoarse. Her hair is smoothed back with sweat, but she has a glow about her, and happiness in her eyes, all from the tiny bundle in her arms wrapped in blue. “This is our son.”

“What have you named him?” Ruthie asked.

“They didn’t even tell me yet,” Annie said quietly.

“We wanted you all to be here,” Kevin put in inching closer to Lucy’s side with Savannah, who was altogether curious at what lay in her mother’s arms. “So, Luce, do you want to tell our family—or, the family that’s here—what we’ve decided to name our son?”

Lucy looked up at her dad with a smile before turning to the rest of us. “Everyone, Kevin and I would like you to formally meet Eric Cassius Kinkirk. Eric for my wonderful father, who inspired me to take this path in life, and Cassius as a male form of Cassandra, which is Eve’s middle name. If Eve hadn’t been there for me tonight, who knows what would’ve happened?” she asked, smiling at me, tears pricking at her eyes. “I am forever in your debt, Eve.”

I stepped forward then, bending down and kissing Lucy on the cheek. “God bless you and keep you, Lucy,” I said resolutely.

“And you, Eve. Forever,” Lucy replied.

“Amen,” Eric replied softly, and, when I looked at him, tears were filling up his eyes as well.


End file.
